MILLIONS at risk as fears Black Death plague may MUTATE and become UNTREATABLE

The death toll from Madagascar has reached 143 with a total of 2,000 infected as it rapidly spreads through the African nation.

Health officials have warned this is the “worst outbreak in 50 years”.

And disease experts have said that if virus mutates, the epidemic will get much worse.

Speaking to Daily Star Online, disease outbreak expert Professor Paul Hunter said that the disease could be contained if it arrived in Europe but the worry would be if the plague became resistant to antibiotics.

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CONCERN: The plague could become untreatable, it has been warnedRelated Articles

BLACK DEATH hits Madagascar: Medieval plague decimates African coast

The plague death toll has risen to 143 in Madagascar. World Health Organization figures show the black death outbreak has now infected 1,947 people in the country off the east coast of Africa.

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World Health Organization figures show the plague has killed at least 143 people

“As with any disease, it's a real worry that it mutates and become untreatable”

Disease expert

The airborne pneumonic plague can be spread by coughing, sneezing, spitting and other contact with bodily fluids.

The World Health Organisation has said this current outbreak is “different” to that seen before.

Nine countries are now on high alert amid fears the disease could go global.

Pneumonic plague – a relative of the Black Death – can kill in as little as 24 hours.

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TRAGIC: More than 100 have already died from the epidemic

Dr Charlotte Ndiaye, a WHO Representative in Madagascar said: “WHO is concerned that plague could spread further because it is already present in several cities and this is the start of the epidemic season, which usually runs from September to April.”

The WHO has delivered 1.2million doses of antibiotics to fight the disease while the Red Cross has been training hundreds of volunteers in preventative measures.

It comes as earlier this month, experts warned the disease could one day become an epidemic in the US.

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Malaria: Between 350 to 500 million cases of malaria are diagnosed each year in sub-Saharan Africa, though fortunately there is a good survival rate

Madagascar has suffered plague outbreaks almost every year since 1980, typically between September and April.

There are already fears the outbreak could last for another five months as Madagascar enters the rainy season.